Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman rose to prominence in 1998 when she became the first female member of Nebraska's highest judicial body.

Miller-Lerman once again garnered attention late last week by announcing her retirement from the state Supreme Court. 

Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke calls Miller-Legman "a trailblazer"

According to the Nebraska Examiner, Miller-Legman's departure was revealed via a statement put out on August 26 by Nebraska Republican Gov. Jim Pillen's office. The statement noted that she will remain on the bench until October 31.

"It has been a privilege to serve the citizens of Nebraska as an appellate judge since 1992," the 78-year-old jurist was quoted as saying.

ICYMI: Nebraska's legal community is still absorbing the retirement of Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, the first woman to serve on the Nebraska Supreme Court.

From @cgonzalez_NE, @ZachWendling2 and @NE_Examiner:https://t.co/Q9tNl7e1bn

— Aaron Sanderford (@asanderford) August 29, 2025

Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke praised Miller-Legman in a statement of his own, hailing his colleague for being "a trailblazer her entire life."

"Her legal career is marked by dedicated, professional, and intellectual service to the State of Nebraska," Funke declared.

Miller-Lerman was appointed by state's last Democratic governor

"The Nebraska Supreme Court extends its deepest appreciation to Justice Miller-Lerman for her many years of service to the State of Nebraska," he continued.

"Throughout her career, Justice Miller-Lerman has shown extraordinary legal intellect and a steadfast commitment to the rule of law," Funke insisted.

The chief justice went on to assert that Miller-Lerman's "opinions reflect both clarity of thought and a deep respect for the people and institutions of Nebraska."

The Examiner recalled how Miller-Lerman was appointed by former Gov. Ben Nelson, who was the last Democrat to lead Nebraska, and her replacement will be named by Pillen.

The individual Pillen selects will be on a list of nominees compiled by the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Supreme Court’s Second District, which consists of Douglas County.

Commission to be chaired by Nebraska's second female justice

The commission is headed by Justice Stephanie Stacy, who was appointed to the state's high court in 2015 by former Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts.

A 2020 study carried out by Ballotpedia on the partisan affiliation of state Supreme Court justices classified Stacy, who is the state's second female justice, as being a "mild Republican."

In addition to Stacy, the commission also includes eight other individuals, four of whom are lawyers chosen by the State Bar Association and four nonlawyers picked by the governor.